From poetry...to pleadings?

Inspiration often comes from unlikely places. This week, we’re exploring how reading and writing poetry can sharpen your advocacy and make your briefs sing. We’re also looking at the often-overlooked tech needs of law firm support staff who keep things running smoothly.

For your commute, there’s a podcast breaking down the Supreme Court’s latest moves and what’s on the docket next. And because it’s October, we’ve rounded up a few firms that are fully embracing the Halloween vibe with clever content that proves law firm marketing doesn’t have to be scary.

But first, have you ever seen a defendant’s attire become part of the record? According to @overheardcourthouse, at least one Florida judge thinks they are also the fashion police.

RIP Bruce Cutler.
Get a sense of this legendary mob lawyer’s courtroom style in the Netflix documentary Get Gotti. 

'Circle back after the holidays' season is here.
If you disagree, @teewatterss says you need to draw a bigger circle.

Come for the Corvair, stay for the hot coffee.
If leaf-peeping alone is not reason enough to go to Connecticut, visiting the American Museum of Tort Law might entice you. 

What we’re reading.
Retired SCOTUS Justice Anthony Kennedy’s memoir Life, Law & Liberty was released this week. 

Latest victim of the government shutdown: corn.
The Onion has this shocking report that explains why all your cobs have stopped working. (To be clear, this is in fact satire.)

Poetry in practice 

If you want to become a better lawyer, you should spend less time reading case law and more time reading poetry. Or at least that’s what Bull Garlington, author of the popular “Analog Attorney” column at Attorney at Work thinks. 

Garlington argues that great legal writing and oral arguments, like great poetry, hinge on clarity, rhythm and an ability to make complex ideas resonate. By writing or reading verse, lawyers can learn to make every word count, balance brevity with depth, and become more attuned to tone and subtext, all skills that distinguish a good advocate from a great one. He includes a guide for how to approach poetry for professional development and a suggested reading list. 

Why this matters: In an era when tight schedules and AI editors threaten to make legal work more efficient and robot-friendly, poetry offers something technology can’t replicate: a human voice and genuine feeling. (Attorney at Work)

AI for the non-attorneys in your office

While attorneys rely on sophisticated case management software to keep their matters on track, support staff are often working off of email threads and spreadsheets. This mismatch, according to the work management platform Kroolo AI, is a growing problem. 

Marketing, HR, and other administrative team members also have structured workflows and deadlines, and need efficient ways to collaborate with one another, but most firms treat these functions as afterthoughts when it comes to technology investment. The piece argues that ignoring these areas not only slows growth but limits a firm’s ability to scale smoothly, maintain consistency across offices and departments and attract top talent.

Why this matters: For lawyers thinking strategically about firm management, the article is a reminder that attorneys need to think more broadly about what tech tools would help their whole team better serve the firm’s clients. (Kroolo)

Seeing the Court through a conservative lens

Now that SCOTUS is back in session, getting a recap of the latest oral arguments and a preview of upcoming cases is a must. Advisory Opinions, hosted by attorneys Sarah Isgur, senior editor of The Dispatch, and David French of the New York Times, does just that, from a traditionally conservative perspective. The recent episode focusing on the conversion therapy case is a good example of the type of legal-focused analysis the hosts provide, even when the cases are a product of the culture wars.

Why this matters: The show’s hosts aren’t unbiased, but their right-leaning commentary provides good insight into this 6-3 court. And two episodes a week means they cover everything in a timely manner. (Advisory Opinions)

• Judges rail against the emergency docket in NY Times survey 
  
• Since Trump took office, 139 immigration judges have left the bench
  
• What is the Insurrection Act?
  
• Asserting control over federal prisons
  
• Can judges still assume the government is telling the truth?

Scary good content

Some law firms are already getting into the Halloween spirit. Not with costumes or candy, but with creative seasonal blog and social media posts. 

Mayfield Law, a personal injury firm in Georgia, has a blog on the “Most Common Halloween Injuries — And How To Avoid Them.”

Mississippi estate planning firm Palmer & Slay has some cool info about Harry Houdini in their blog post “Communicating with the Dead: How Letters of Intent Can Preserve Your Legacy.”

The Colorado Legal Group turned their Halloween co-parenting tips into an Instagram post.

Kentucky-based Simon Law used the Sora app to make a horror movie about contracts and posted it on LinkedIn.

While the Texas Employment Lawyer’s blog post “The Haunted Office: A Cautionary Halloween Tale” is a whole collection of horror stories. 

And Orent Law Offices has written a very practical blog post about “Halloween Restrictions for Sex Offenders in Arizona.”

Why this matters: These are a reminder that good content marketing doesn’t have to be dry to be professional. A little seasonal flair can grab attention, humanize your brand and keep readers coming back year-round. 

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 Raise the Bar is written and curated by Emily Kelchen and edited by Bianca Prieto.